Houston fell to 27-15 overall and 7-6 in league play with its fourth-straight loss, while UCF improved to 23-19 and 9-7 with its third-straight win.

The Cougars made the 4-1 game interesting in the ninth, but wouldn't be able to overcome an early deficit, which included two two-run innings by the Knights.

Houston starter Daniel Poncedeleon (7.2,5,3,3,2,7) was solid in his 11th start of the year, but would exit with two outs in the eighth and suffer the loss, falling to 5-4. The righty fanned seven and scattered just five hits and two walks - while allowing three runs.

UCF's two-run fourth inning was sparked by a two-out rally that consisted of a walk and two hits, including a two-run double off the bat of Jeramy Matos.

Houston plated its first run of the game on a Ratcliff groundout, scoring Vidales, who opened the sixth with a single, moved to second on a Survance sac bunt and took third on a UCF balk.

Down by just a run, Poncedeleon fanned two in a scoreless seventh, but UCF would take advantage of a two-out hit by pitch to extend its lead with two more runs following a double, walk and single in the eighth - which saw three Cougar pitchers as juniors Tyler Ford (0.0,1,1,1,0,0) and Chase Wellbrock (0.1,1,0,0,1,0) saw action out of the pen.

Houston rebounded and made some noise in the ninth after Montemayor singled with one and later scored on a wild pitch, but a groundout and strikeout with end any threat the Cougars had late in the game.

UCF starter Chris Matulis (8.0,6,1,1,0,6) picked up his fifth win to improve to 5-2 after surrendering just one run on six hits and no walks with six strikeouts. Reliever Zac Favre (1.0,1,1,1,1,2) fanned two in the final frame for his fourth save of the year.

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UP NEXTHouston and UCF will continue its three-game series at 3 p.m. CT Saturday. Cougars' Austin Pruitt will face UCF's Ben Lively.